POLITICAL TRUCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 9

POLITICAL TRUCE

SOUTH AFRICAN PARTIES

CENTENARY CELEBRATION

(Received December 1, 10.15 a.m.)

CAPE TOWN, November 30

The laying of the foundation-stone of the Voortrekker centenary memorial on Dingaan's Day, December 16, is responsible for a month's political truce which will begin at midnight.

The proposal was made by the Prime

Minister, General Hertzog, and Dr. Malan, leader of the Nationalist Republicans, and Colonel Stallard, leader of the extreme English-Speaking members, have accepted the olive branch.

After the Great Trek began in 1835 Piet Retief, the leader of the Boers, applied to Dingaan, the Zulu chief, for a grant of land. A treaty was drawn up and general feasting followed. At the close of the festivities the natives suddenly attacked the Boers and after a desperate struggle killed them to a man. At the same time a large force of Zulus was sent across the Tubela with instructions to kill every white man, woman, or child found in Natal. It is estimated that some 600 were massacred before the Zulus were repulsed. The- Boers then took the offensive,, but fell into an ambush, and only one man escaped. But in 1838, 460 mounted Boers, under their new leader Andries Pretorius, advanced on Dingaan's kraal, met a Zulu army of 12,000, and routed it, killing 3000. The day of this action is annually celebrated as Dingaan's Day.